Lawn-mower attachment.



PATENTED JAN. 24, l1905.

F. MOENNTGHOFF. LAWN MDW-ER ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION FILED SEPT ze 190sPatented January 24, 1905.

PATENT GFFICE.

FRED MOENNIGHOFR OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

LAWN-NIOWER ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 780,964, dated January24, 1905. y l Application filed September 26, 1903. Serial No. 174,737.i

To @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, FRED MOENNIGHOFF, a citizen of the United States,residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Lawn-Mower Attachments;and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled inthe artto which it appertains to make and use the same. I

This invention has reference to lawn-mowers, and relatesmore'particularly to an at-v tachment therefor, combiningas itsprincipal features a rake and grass-catcher. V

The object of the invention is to provide for lawn-mowers a simple andeiicient rake attachment comprising a suitable frame supporting a seriesof tines and arranged to be suitably coupled to the mower-frame.

A further object is to provide a cleaning` plate or bar slidable upontwo or more tin es and having parts operating between adjacent tines forthe purpose of cleaning the rake of grass, leaves, &c., and meansconnected withv the cleaning-bar for sliding it up and down upon thetines.

That the invention may be more fully understood, reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, in whi'ch- Figure 1 is a side elevation of amowerwith my improvementsattached thereto. Fig. 2is an elevation on the lineX X of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line Y Y, Fig. 2.

My aim in the present invention is to provide for lawn-mowers anattachment which maybe readily and conveniently attached and detachedtherefrom, pivotally connected with the frame of the mower and followingin its wake, provided witha rake the tines of which rake along thegrass..gathering up the loose grass, theleaves, and other loosematerial, thus accomplishing in one operation what has usually requiredtwo and doing the work that the usual grass-catcher does.

In the drawings so much of a lawn-mower has been shown as will properlyillustrate the mode of attaching my device and its function.

1 indicates the ground-wheel journaled to frame parts 2 by the spindle3. There are employed, of course, two wheels and two frame parts 2, andbetween the same are arranged the rotary and stationary cutters.

et denotes an operators handle connected in n The improvements to whichI refer comprise the side plates 7, their forward portions adapted to bepivotally attached at 8 to the spindles 9, forming part of the roller5;l but I am not necessarily confined to this particular'mode ofattaching, as other means may be .devised that would serve the samepurpose,

the plates perforated at 10 to provide for malring such attachment.

l11 indicates across brace or plate, its opposite ends connecting withthe opposite plates 7.in manner shown. This brace is placed at the upperrear end of the plates 7 and approxi- -mately half-way down, and at therear of such plates is shown a brace or plate l2, its opposite endsconnecting withthe plates 7 in manner shown.

13 denotes a series of tines arranged at suitable distances apart fromeach other and made of the material best suited to the work designed tobe done. They pass through perforations 14. in the brace 12, and theirupper ends are secured in the brace 11, the lower ends of the tinescurved forwardly, as shown It is to be noted that the tines are disposedvertically and at an incline; butthis arrangement may be modified,

16 refers to what may be termed a cleaningbar carried transverse betweenthe plates 7 and sli'dable up and down upon the tines, with the eXtremeoutside and center tines passing throughthe bar, serving as a guidetherefor in its movement. However, this arrangement has been made forconvenience and may be modified. The bar is provided with V- shapedportions, corrugations, or serrations fl?, the pointed portions of whichextend down betweenadjacent tines. (See Fig. 2.) To the bar 16 areattached connecting-plates IOO 18, which in turn are connected to 'anoperating arm or lever 19, extending .up alongside the operators handle4, whereby the operator may force the bar 16 downwardlyfor the purposeof removing grass, leaves, and other material from the tines and thenreturn the bar 16 again to its normal raised position.

rIhe rear end of the frame parts comprising the complete attachment maybe raised to retain the tines in a proper relation with the grass bymeans of the rod 20, connected with the brace 11 and the handle 4, asshown,`or a chain or other suitable device may be employed for suchpurpose.

The pivotal connection of the frame, as at 8, permits the frame to beswung, and using the spindle of the roller 5 the forward end of theframe will follow the rise and fall of the ground.

As suggested, modifications and details may be resorted to, and I do notwish to be confined to the details set forth.

What I claim is- 1. In a lawn-mower, the combination with the framethereof, of parallel frame parts having a detachable connection uponopposite sides of the main frame, a rake supported between the frameparts and a cleaning-bar slidable upon the tines of the rake, as and forthe purposes set forth.

2. In a lawn-mower, the combination therewith of frame parts supportedto the. rear thereof, a series of tines forming a rake supported betweenthe frame parts, a cleaningbar slidable upon the tines, guided by two ormore of the tines passing through perforations in the bar, said barprovided with Vi shaped portions the pointed ends of which extend downbetween adjacent tines, and means for raising and lowering the bar, forthe purposes set forth.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with theframe parts 2 adapted to support mowing devices, the spindle 9 carryingthe roller 5, of the plates 7 having perforations adapted to slip overthe ends oi spindle 9 and be supported thereby, braces 11 and 12 betweenthe plates 7, thc tines 13 supported by the braces and the cleaning-bar16 slidable upon the body of the tines, for the purposes set forth.

4. An attachment for mowers comprising parallel side plates, theirforward ends adapted to be attached to a mower-frame, braces connectingtheir rear portions, tines supported by said braces, and means forcleaning the tines of material gathered thereon, substantially asdescribed.

5. An attachment for mowers, comprising a frame adapted for pivotalconnection with the mower-frame, means for supporting the rear end ofthe frame from the mower-handle, a series of tines supported by theframe, a transverse cleaning-bar having portions operating betweenadjacent tines, and means for raising and lowering the cleaning-bar.

In testimony whereofI ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED MOENNIGHOFF.

Witnesses:

CHAs. W. LA PORTE, ROBERT N. MoGoRMIeK.

